DECC: Renewable Heat Incentive crucial for decarbonising UK heat

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is crucial for heating decarbonisation efforts and could create 800MW of additional capacity annually, the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) says. DECC reports have evaluated both the UK and international RHI schemes and concluded that the scheme is essential for reaching the UK’’s target of producing 12% renewables for heat. See press release and link to series of assessment reports

Information on the Gas Innovation Fund – Gas Networks Ireland

At the end of 2015 IrBEA and Cré jointly wrote to GNI requesting answers to the following questions about the Gas Innovation Fund.
– How can our members apply to this fund?
– What are the fund’s’ scope, terms and conditions?
– What projects have been supported to date?
– How much funding has been approved?
– What is the application process?
– What criteria determine success or failure?
– What provisions are in place to ensure fund transparency in the future?
This week we received the following response from GNI:
Gas Networks Ireland welcome your interest in the Gas Innovation Group. In order to obtain the answers to your questions below – please find the Gas Innovation Group section on our website. The application forms and evaluation criteria are outlined on the site and there is detail also in the application forms themselves. We would welcome applications from you and your members.

 

North’s RHI closure on 29th February confirmed

Last week we reported Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Minister Jonathan Bell had announced the domestic and non domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes in Northern Ireland will close on the 29th February. The NI Assembly duly approved the closure earlier this week, see Notice of Suspension. Responding to the move, John Martin, Chairman of Biomass Energy Northern Ireland (BENI) issued a press release and called for “urgent talks between the NI Government and the heat sector to plan an appropriate way forward”. The Belfast Telegraph reported this. In a further step this week, John Martin wrote to Minister Bell (cc’d to UK Minister for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd and to Patsy McGlone, MLA Chairperson, Committee of Enterprise, Trade and Investment) requesting an urgent meeting  to discuss the implications of the suspension and to consider an appropriate policy framework going forward to 2020 and beyond. See letter.